Just a quick quote that relates to the importance of conversation- authentic conversations with children on a daily basis- by adults that are genuinely interested in listening to the 'childs voice'.
Have a read... Any thoughts?
Jim Greenman- What kind of place for childcare in the 21st Century.
"Perhaps the quickest and most fundamental evaluation of a child care setting is to observe the quantity and quality of conversation. To note whether adults are listening to children, provoking the ideas of children, and offering a child one of their most precious gifts — undivided attention and their full human presence. How can this occur with real world rat ios and group sizes and all the daily demands of care? It can only happen in environments that support teachers and are well designed and prepared for independent use by children. And how would the environment change if designed for conversation? Perhaps with acoustics and places that lend themselves to conversation: couches, benches under a tree, a seat that puts the child right there for all the murmurs and reassuring words."
I did this activity after I had attended professional development called Perceptual Motor Programme.Before this programme I would do some activities with the children mostly focussing on using fine motor skills,e.g holding the parachute. I was not aware that by doing such activities, the children are also developing eye or hand or foot co-ordination.This programme helped me to understand more the benefits of such activities and was able to enhance my content knowledge and teaching skills on physical activities.
